So Job No. 1 - keeping the other team off the score sheet, minimizing goals against, defending like we really know what we're doing .... well it looks like we've got this accomplished. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/clsht.html Currently the clean sheet leaders are: Man U (10 : 52.6%), Swansea (9 : 47%), Man C (8 : 40%), Spurs (7 : 36.8%) et al. Pretty lofty company. Who would have thought of this after that 4-0 defeat at Man C at the beginning of the season. However, we are only ranked 16th when keeping a clean sheet in terms of results - Won 4, Drawn 5. Time to start on Job No. 2 - banging them in at the other end. If we can maintain our defensive performance and couple it with some additional fire power / creativity offensively, we have the perfect recipe to start climbing the table.
Nice stats I said at the beginning of the season, it's much better to have a good defensive base, work out how to get a 0-0, and then try and add goals to the equation, than it is to start by banging in loads of goals and then have to try and shore up the defence. Happily, we've done just that and it's looking like we've got a real shot at staying in the league. I think Rodgers has benefited from the year of intense defensive football we had under Sousa in ways which are only just starting to show now, but I think to give too much credit to Sousa would be harsh. The team really are a quality defensive unit now, and it shows that if you can get a settled backline of decent footballers together, and keep them together, in a system they know, they can match (almost) anybody. I am one very excited football fan right now!
